RE:boot UnlimitedFATE
by ShiroSoul95
Summary: Altria finds herself saved by Emiya Kiritsugu from the Fuyuki Fire. Memory-less she is determined to follow him and fulfill his dying wish and enters the Fifth Holy Grail War. A single misguided wish leads to events spanning over dimensions. Existences erased, replaced, and lost. Bodies destroyed and rebuilt. One cannot stop FATE. FATE is unlimited. But FATE can be redone: RE:boot
1. Chapter 1: Prelude to a New FATE

_**Hello all! Yup, a FSN fanfiction. I'm experimenting with the idea of multiple dimensions and switched roles. Not really much of a spoiler but some of you might not figure it out reading it so I'm just going to say that Saber and Shirou switched roles: with Saber being the Master and Shirou the Servant. I don't really have much else to say other than read, rate, and review! The more reviews I get the more motivated I become to write! Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 1: Prelude to a New FATE**

"_So…Lancelot, is this what Camelot has become?"_

_A voice rang out in the field as two figures stared at each other. _

_Wind blew over the meadow and grass swayed. _

_Bodies littered the ground and blood ran like water._

_Silence. _

_The two faced each other, standing on the small hill. _

_Both of them were tall, encased in metal armor from head to toe_

_One was monstrously tall._

_One was of average height. _

_One had black armor._

_One had golden armor._

_One held a large ebony colored sword. Dark as night._

_One held a gilded sword. Radiant like the sun._

_Both were covered in thick red blood, marring the majesty of their armor and weapons. _

"_Camelot never existed after His Majesty left, it was never meant to be protected after Her Majesty was slain."_

_The other replied as such. _

_The two continued to face each other._

_Both knew what he, Lancelot, spoke of._

"_Is that why you went to Morgana?"_

_Spoke the one in golden armor, a soft statement. _

_No conviction, no blame, just stating the fact. _

"_You understand me well enough…Fake King" _

_The laxness in the air disappeared in an instant, replaced by a tension that chilled the air._

_The one is black armor bent his knees, raising his sword. _

_The one is golden armor brought his sword forward, holding it straight. _

"_I didn't want it to end like this Lancelot."_

_The golden knights last attempt to avoid this confrontation._

"_Blame the blood the flows through your veins, blame the body that was created the Fae. Blame that you exist."_

_Brief moments of silence before the two collided. _

"_An oath once given cannot be superseded by anything. Not even the blessing of the Fae."_

_Lancelot continued his arm tensing. _

_With superhuman speed the two warriors came at each other. The black knight swinging from his right hip to his left as the golden knight swung his sword forward. The jet black blade slammed into the flat side of the golden sword. The force of the hit made the two opponents stumble back a few steps. _

_Rapidly both swordsmen corrected their balance and rushed at each other once more. The blades flashed as they collided. Sounds of metal smashing onto metal resounded into the air. Sparks flittered. It was a dance of steal. The two knights dodged, parried, and fought. It wasn't a graceful dance, it wasn't a beautiful dance, and it was an ugly one. A dance of death. _

_After another mighty clash the two retreated away from each other once more._

"_Dovakiin… the blood of the dragons is strong indeed."_

_The black knight spoke as his breath was heavy. _

_The golden knight did not communicate. He was preoccupied with something else. He felt something peculiar. He understood that something was wrong with his constitution. He shouldn't be this tired. He shouldn't be this weak. His sword shouldn't be at its limit already._

_The dragon's blood was weakening._

"_Lancelot, this needs to end."_

_The black knight straightened himself in response. _

"_No Fake King, YOU need to end"_

_He jumped forward his jet black sword creating a black streak in the air as it sailed at the golden knight. _

_The golden knight raised his sword to block the oncoming attack. _

_With the sound akin to shattering glass, the golden broke into fragments. _

_The golden knight leaped backwards, his crimson cape fluttering in the wind. The shards of his blade becoming translucent and disappearing as they struck the ground._

"_You dare fight me with fakes?!"_

_The black knight roared as he placed another hand on his dark weapon and tilted to his side. He launched himself at his foe. _

_The golden knight reached into his cape and withdrew another golden sword, identical to the one he held last time. _

_The golden knight swung his blade lightly as he parried the horizontal swing over his left shoulder. _

_The black knight was suddenly pushed backwards a fair distance as the flat of a blade collided with his armor._

_Looking back at the golden knight he saw that his foe now had two weapons. _

_The fight was serious now. _

_The black knight placed his large sword in front of him and pierced the ground._

"_Arondight! There is no longer a need to limit you!"_

_Black winds started flowing around the length of the blade, howling as if the wolves themselves were greeting the arrival of the blade's true nature._

_The golden knight crossed both blades in front of him._

"_Arondight! Slayer of dragons!"_

_The black knight roared as he jumped forward, his sword raised behind his head._

_He swung, the wind whistling at the speed of the incoming blade as it approached the golden knight with the force of an avalanche and leaving black trails in its wake._

_The black blade made contact with the dual golden swords…_

…_and destroyed them._

_The golden knight jumped back as his weapons fell to ruin._

_A mark on the chest plate of his golden knight told how close he was to being wounded._

_But the black knight saw something else._

_His foe didn't get up as quickly, didn't gather more swords, his back heaved as if trying hard to breathe._

_His opponent was at his limit._

_Without any warning, he leaped at the golden knight once more._

_For the last time._

_The black sword closed in on the golden knight._

_He pulled another golden sword from his cape in an attempt to block the incoming blade._

_But it was for naught._

_The black blade severed its golden counterpart and continued forward. _

_Until it made contact with the golden knights body._

_As the black sword, Arondight, found itself in the abdomen of the golden knight._

_Golden blood started flowing over the wound._

_The golden knight coughed twice as he stared at the helmet of his opponent. _

_They stood, trapped in place for several seconds, before the golden knight made a sound._

_He gave a bitter chuckle._

_Lancelot removed his sword ever so slowly, as if trying to give as much pain as he could to his opponent._

_As the blade came out the golden knight fell to his knees on the ground._

"_This is the end of your reign Fake King, may your soul rest in peace"_

_He readied Arondight again. _

_He swung sideways._

_A head came loose…_

…_as it rolled down that hill._

_With golden blood flowing like water._

~.~.~.~.~

There was fire.

Fire _everywhere._

As far as the eye could see. Flames as high as the trees. Screams resounding through the air as she walked forward, in a straight line. She kept walking. Energy long since lost, but her sanity being used to fuel her.

She was deifying the death and destruction. Deifying the encompassing fire.

Smoke and sparks flew high into the air.

She heard cries of pain and howls of fear. She could see blackened bodies litter the ground.

_This was just a dream_.

_This had to be a dream._

Thoughts ran through her head as she tried to reject the reality. As she tried to reject the hell around her.

People tried to help others escape, some trapped in burning houses. Many begged for help.

But she only walked forward.

Eventually her legs gave way as she slumped to the ground. Her knees hitting the ground and eventually falling onto her back.

_Was this how she was going to die?_

_In a hell-hole like this?_

She coughed twice as her lungs tried to expel the smoke that she started to inhale.

_This was the end._

_This had to be the end._

Her mind started to slow down as she stared at a black sun that rose in the sky. Thoughtlessly she tried to reach for it. Her hands outstretched. She did not want help. She did not ask for help. She did not want to be saved. She just wanted it to end. For her and for everyone around her. She wanted to escape this burning world, in any way possible

Her eye lids felt heavy, the strength in her hand started failing and her arm started to fall.

But it didn't hit the ground. Instead it felt as if it touched something else.

Just before her eyes closed she gazed into the face of a weeping man. Tears flowing down his nose and cheeks.

"Thank you…thank you so much…thank you so very much"

_Was that what he was saying?_

She couldn't be sure. Her consciousness was slipping.

And she fell into a deep slumber

_But why was he thanking her? _

As she faded into black she felt a warm sensation in her abdomen. Not the burning warmth of the flames around her, but more of soft warmth. Like a radiant smile…like **his** smi-

Her eyes slowly opened. The suddenly influx of light caused her to snap them shut again. Hesitantly opening her eyes again she blinked many times, her pupils dilating and adjusting.

The first thought in her head was that she was no longer in that fire.

Her mind sluggishly started operating. The ceiling was white and tiled with fiber boards. There were rectangular lights covered with plastic. She moved her eyes downward as she saw more beds around her. She heard the beeps of ECG machines and the drips of IV stands. Turning her head slightly, she realized that she was lying on a soft pillow. She saw ventilators humming serenely as she suddenly became aware of her breathing.

She inhaled sweet beautiful air filled her lungs

Not tainted by smoke or the dying souls of those around her.

Just fresh air.

She must be in a hospital, the air smelled clean. Like rubbing alcohol and chemicals.

"How are you feeling?" a voice spoke.

Surprised, she suddenly sat up and turned towards the source of the noise. Her eyes landed on a man sitting in a black trench coat, the zipper opened to reveal a black dress shirt and tie. He was unshaven and had thick black hair that looked like a birds nest. His grey eyes seemed dim, but they were warm when one looked into them. His cheekbones and jaw were angular, signifying him of Asian descent, but he had no fat in his cheeks. He had a rather striking appearance.

Her brain suddenly caught up to speed.

This was the man that saved her. Instinct kicked in.

Quickly she bowed her head and closed her eyes. Her blond hair making a curtain around her face.

"Thank you very much!" she said. Or rather, tried to say. Her hoarse throat caused her words to tumble out a bit incoherently.

The man seemed surprise for a second, but his steel grey eyes softened as his lips turned into a light smile. He had the same expression on his face as she remembered in her final moments of consciousness in the fire.

"You're welcome. You can stop bowing. "

"No. I am truly grateful to you." She continued bowing her head. Her voice resolute. Her mind trying to think about ways to show her appreciation.

She felt a hand on her head.

"Please raise your head."

Nervously she slowly turned her head upward. The man still had a soft smile, but she swore that she could see tears in his eyes.

"How about we introduce ourselves? My name is Kiritsugu Emiya. What is your name?" he asked gently. He removed his hand and pulled a nearby stool to sit down.

"My name…" she started saying, her mind drawing a blank, "Is…Altria…"

"Altria?" The man said, enunciating every syllable of the name, "It's a beautiful name. Do you not have a family name?"

"I…I…" she stammered, closing her eyes trying to remember. But as hard as she tried all she could see in her mind's eye was the fire. She stopped when she felt another gentle hand on her head.

"It's fine if you don't remember. We'll sort it out eventually. I'm just glad that you're here among the living."

She stared at him. Unable to understand what was going on but she understood something: he was her savior. She could believe in his words that everything would be resolved.

"Thank you…." Her words trailed off as she felt herself fall back into the soft pillow and sleep clawing at her.

"No Altria…thank you"

Was she hearing things? Why was her savior thanking her again? She should be thanking him for the rest of her life!

Such thoughts slowly dissipated as her mind returned to blackness. Her eye lids covering her green eyes as she retreated into sleep.

~.~.~.~.~

"This is our new home Altria, how do you like it?" asked Kiritsugu with a small smile on his face as he watched the small six year old girl hesitantly walk into the old Japanese house. She glanced back at Kiritsugu nervously who motioned with his hand to continue. With a sort of child-like grace she took off her shoes and entered into the hall way. Her sock covered feet softly hitting the floor. Her eyes widened in awe as the dark wood flooring sprawled to either side of the house and light pink walls invited them. Directly in front was the living room that was separated from the hallway with paper screen doors. Large glass window panes let in the afternoon and directly revealed the giant yard behind the house. It was an ancient design with modern materials and influences. All combined it had a beautiful effect. Altria's mouth opened slightly with glee as she lightly ran into the living room and looked around.

"It's grand!" she said as spun once to try and get everything in view, her previous discomfort all but disappearing in a way all children do.

Kiritsugu felt his heart cry for a second. His daughter Illya had the same look on her face when they went walnut hunting. His wife Ira did the exact same action when she first came to Fuyuki City.

"Kiritsugu-sama?" a worried voice asked as he felt a tug on his jacket.

Shaken out of his self-induced depression he looked downward into the concerned stare of Altria. She was gripping his jacket with two clenched fists and her lips were drawn into a frown; a small "^" character on her face. Her green eyes were wide and clear and her hair was let down. She wore a small white jacket and black leggings under a blue skirt. It was adorable, she looked like a princess.

"Is something wrong Kiritsugu-sama?" she asked again.

Kiritsugu found himself frowning similarly. As polite as the Japanese language was, Altria used only the most reverent of words. Occasionally it was a bit much. Kiritsugu bent his knees and squatted next to the young child, so that he was eye level with her. He took her right hand into his and cupped it with both hands.

He could be selfish this once right?

"Altria, what did I say about calling me like that?" he asked with a small smile.

Altria's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, and then her eye lids came down as she scrunched her eyes as she tried to remember something. Kiritsugu found himself laughing on the inside; her face was just so expressive. She was just too honest a person, a real rarity in this day and age.

"Umm….to call you…." She said slowly, her eyes slowly widening.

"Yes?" Kiritsugu asked, encouraging her to finish her sentence.

"To call you…'Father'?" she asked, her face turning red in embarrassment as she looked downwards

A wry smile graced Kiritsugu's face.

"Care to try calling me that?" he asked.

He could selfish just this once right?

"F-f-father…" Altria looked downward for several seconds as her diminutive hands clenched in his.

"Yes Altria-chan?"

"Uh…are you well?"

"I'm just fine. Thanks to you."

Her head jerked upwards at the unexpected last line. Her eyes widening in surprise.

"Why don't you go explore the yard? We still have to set you up with a room and show you the rest of your home."

Kiritsugu gestured to her, an arm waving towards the glass door. Altria's face lit up as her blush disappeared. She nodded once and lightly ran to other side of the living room. She opened the door quickly and ran outside. Her face expressed amazement as she stared at the giant sakura tree and the little pond in a corner of the yard filled with koi fish (_**Authors note: I love koi fish. I have some as pets).**_

The girl brought a breath of fresh air into Kiritsugu's life. She was the only one alive in the fire that he found, and a foreigner at that. Her blond hair and green eyes telling of her European decent, but no family came to claim her as their own. Kiritsugu adopted her and she became Emiya Altria. Her release from the hospital was also a miracle in a sense. Her damaged lungs regenerated with inhuman speeds and her burns disappeared. The doctors were amazed, but also glad to let one go. They still had plenty of other victims to attend to who were indirectly hurt by the "Fuyuki Fire" as it was now dubbed. The orphans that were found were taken in by the church and some others were adopted.

A fittingly quick response by the government regarding a giant disaster that had no explanation to how it occurred.

And that was how the Fourth Holy Grail War ended.

Kiritsugu sighed as he reached into his pockets to grab a cigarette box and a lighter.

"F-father!"

A voice screamed out as he felt an impact in his stomach, startling him enough to nearly drop the objects in his hand.

"Altria? Is something wrong?" he asked, worry lacing his tone as he stared at the little girl that was currently burying her face into his abdomen.

"T-there was something r-r-really s-scary in the shed!" she said pointing towards the shed that was in its own corner of the yard.

"I'll go see, you wait here."

Kiritsugu slowly removed Altria from himself and sat her down next to the table. He put his hands into his pockets and proceeded to walk into the yard. He was quite sure that Altria found a raccoon or maybe a stray cat in the shed. It hadn't been used in the past week. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Altria looking back at him. He gave a slight nod and walked into the shed.

He was completely unprepared for what was there.

His heart stopped for several seconds as his blood ran cold. He felt cold sweat flow down his back as his eyes boggled.

_THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!_

In the days prior to the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War he had placed explosive charges all along the leylines. He blew those up to disturb the leyline connections so that another Holy Grail War would be avoided. By shifting the leyline the amount of mana reaching the Greater Grail wouldn't be enough for a war in the near fifty to sixty years. It was a contingency plan in case he failed in destroying the Holy Grail. They should be inactive or at the very least have low activity. The line underneath this shed was anything but.

Instead it was the worst case scenario. The leyline was bursting with mana. So much that he could feel it with his body. The leyline did not shift at all. To a magus like it was like being poured with cold water.

The only explanation was that the Earth was compensating with the destroyed leyline by forcing more mana down these lines and reestablishing it. Somewhere on Earth there was less mana, in exchange for more mana here.

_This was bad. This was really bad!_

The timetable for the Holy Grail war was every sixty years, when the mana from the leylines was enough to begin Heavens Feel. But this…this was an extraordinary amount of mana. From his calculations the next activation of Heaven's Feel should begin in not sixty, but ten years!

_Illya…._

His daughter...would most certainly be the vessel. She would most likely be placed under protection. Under magic so strong his current body would never be able to save her.

She was…unreachable now.

Kiritsugu felt tears fall down his cheeks. He couldn't save his wife and now he couldn't save his daughter. The Grail destroyed his body, and he was unable to do any magic. Hell, his life span was at best only 3 more years. All the hopes he had, left him.

Who could he turn to now? Who could he ask to help him save his daughter?

_Her!_

A voice suddenly spoke to him.

_The girl who shows sensitivity to mana. Her!_

Altria? Wait, Altria was scared by something in the shed. She probably sensed the mana, but that was impossible. She wasn't a magus.

_She's not a magus, but she has potential. _

Kiritsugu's eyes widened. Yes, Altria she had potential. He could teach her magic to go save Illya even if he couldn't. But could he? Could he force her to go and fight in a conflict that already took everything from her, even her memories? Could he?

Kiritsugu felt his resolve steel.

_No, she has the right for revenge_.

He thought.

But.

He was allowed to be selfish was he not?

He could let both of his daughters live peacefully could he not?

Kiritsugu turned around and left the shed, closing it.

There was a war to prepare for.

~.~.~.~.~

"_Welcome Golden Knight"_

"_Dovakiin"_

"_The Limitless Forge"_

"_Master of Blades"_

"_Fake King"_

"_You have acceded to a new height"_

"_You have come here"_

"_To the Throne of Heroes"_

_Multiple voices overlapped, one completing each other's sentences as they melted together. _

_All he could see was a light that slowly dimmed as he felt himself sit in a chair. _

_This was it._

_The Throne of Heroes._

_He had done it._

_Now all he had to do was to wait._

_For the Fifth Holy Grail War to commence. _

_And so… he slept. _

_His eyes closing as he the warm light from Alaya washed over him. _

_Thus he slipped into a slumber, waiting. _

_~.~.~.~.~_

_**There you go guys! What do you think? Any questions? Any concerns? Please rate and review! Now to deal with some issues.**_

_**First and foremost is Kiritsugu and his use of explosives to disturb the leylines. From the standpoint of the Naruverse what he actually did was (as according to the TYPE-MOON wiki):**_

"_To ensure the destruction of the Great Grail, Kiritsugu used explosives to create a 'bump' in the nearby leyline, which would ensure a earthquake in thirty to forty years' time. By doing so he hoped to prevent a fifth war, but did not realize that the incomplete ending of the fourth war would cause the next war to occur in just ten years."_

_**So I DO know what the cannon plot was. My idea was that I needed a mechanic that would explain Altria's sensitivity to prana as well as serve as a way to introduce the idea that Kiritusugu would have to train Altria in preparation for the next Grail War. **_

_**Now, onto the next issue. Who is that Golden Knight? Could it be…GILGAMESH?! No, not at all (LOL XD). If you pay attention here and there you should know who it is.**_

_**Finally, please refer to my author page for works of art to help you visualize the characters, their weapons, and armor is different stages in the story. **_

_**Thanks a lot for reading this authors note and the story! Please stay tuned for the next chapter!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Counter Force at Work

_**Hey guys! What's good? Chapter 2 is here! I'm trying to approach the start of the Holy War as fast as possible so I'm condensing the character development and aging of Altria Emiya into two or three more chapters of long length. I'm also throwing in bits of events that are occurring on the Throne of Heroes!  
Please read, enjoy, favorite, and review! Don't forget to check out the corresponding pictures/artwork in my profile page and give comments in the review section about them! **_

**Chapter 2: Counter Force at Work  
**

_**Emiya Altria- Age 6 (FALL)- **__Refer to image "Altria Emiya- Age 6- Fall"_

They were sitting in the shed that was separated from the rest of the house. The floor was just recently cleaned, revealing the rustic mahogany wood (and smelled of lemon wood polish) that was covered with a green carpet. The windows were open to let in sounds of cicadas and beams of warm late-morning sunlight. It was quite warm outside, but the shed's interior was cool. It was perfect weather for practicing magic.

"Altria let's start with something simple. What is prana?" asked Kiritsugu as he stared at the six year old sitting in seiza in front of him.

"Prana is the power source used to fuel all magecraft and mysteries," she responded back, her green eyes confident. It was moderately strange hearing such words from a small child.

"What are two types of prana?"

"Mana and od. Mana is the power in the environment around the person and od is the power in the body," her voice rang clear as her words never faltered. She had memorized each and every word; she even splayed her fingers across her chest when she spoke about od.

"What is a magical circuit?" Kiritsugu asked again, curious to see how well his pupil was actually doing.

"A magical circuit is natural machine in a person. It converts life force to prana. We can use them to create mysteries," Altria closed her eyes and rattled off.

"Good, good," Kiritsugu complimented, earning a happy face and satisfied smile from Altria.

"Alright Altria. Now let me see you activate your circuits," Kiritsugu said, "Relax. Deep breaths. Concentrate on the flow of mana. Don't rush it; just let it run its course."

"Yes Father," Altria said softly, her voice resolute. She closed her eyes again and let her diminutive muscles relax, her shoulders visibly dropping. Almost immediately he could feel the vibration of mana in the air as a result. Altria's body temperature was slightly rising.

He could see the mana flowing through her body now, using reinforced eyes. As smooth as a flowing stream, it penetrated through her circuits and through her body. It was astounding really. Altria was well suited for magic. She had thirty three circuits of outrageously high quality. Her circuits passed along prana with little to no interference. Her internal od levels were similarly shocking. He was starting to wonder whether _**that **_was responsible for this phenomenon.

Naturally she was taking very well to magic training.

"Very good Altria. No slowly stop the flow. I'm watching, so don't worry." Magical circuits were known to be unstable when first used so it was commonplace for the teacher to watch the student to stop the circuits from converting too much life energy into od in case they went haywire.

"Yes Father," her closed eyes tightened slightly. Kiritsugu watched as the flow of mana gradually lowered. When it finished Altria took a deep sigh as sweat started to flood down her forehead. It was expected of a child. She was just learning how to use her circuits and access her od, she was still getting used to the pain that accompanied the process.

But she was learning fast. When Kiritsugu explained the process of activating circuits she only needed a day to figure it out. Within the next week she was activating her circuits, taking in mana, tapping into the pool of od, and naturally moving prana around her body like a pro. She was the kinetic type of learner. She had to "feel" it out before she understood, watching Kiritsugu as an example before attempting it herself. And she always got the hang of it in the first three tries. Always.

Kiritsugu was hesitant to say she was a prodigy.

He was confident that she could start training in actual spells now.

Kiritsugu could only teach the basics of magic to Altria. He was no expert, he was no magus. He was simply someone who used magic.

Nonetheless he needed Altria, so he would teach her to the best of his ability.

"Did I do well Father?" Altria asked suddenly, breaking Kiritsugu from his thoughts. Her polite voice cut through the still air of the shed like a gust of wind.

"You did very well Altria-chan. I couldn't be prouder," he gave a small smile and said his compliments without reservation.

"T-thank you very Father!" she bowed her head at the praise.

Kiritsugu sighed lightly. Try as he might, it was hard for a person to fight their nature. Saber was naturally polite and reserved. She had a hard time hiding her feelings, but even a harder time being straight forward. They were growing closer, similar to blood father and daughter. It made the idea of him approaching her to learn magic easier; when he talked to her about magecraft she instantly believed him. She explained that magic was the only explanation as to how Kiritsugu was able to save her from the fire. Her enthusiasm to learn was readily apparent. She hooked onto every word he had to say during his "lectures" on magic.

"Altria, would you mind telling what your 'trigger' is?" Kiritsugu probed, a question popping into his head.

Altria's head jerked back to its original place, her emerald eyes widening in surprise at the unexpected question. The "trigger" referred to mental stimulant that activated magical circuits. He was curious to know what Altria's was.

"Ah, um…my 'trigger' is the drawing of a blade from a sheath," she said hesitantly, her face slowly turning red in embarrassment, "I-I saw it in a movie that was playing on television. The sound of the sword being pulled from the scabbard was just so cool-hmp!"

The last part was Altria covering her mouth with a hand as she looked back at Kiritsugu sheepishly. Embarrassment flooding her features as she accidently revealed a secret. Her inability to hide her emotions giving away that what she did was against some rule.

"Ah I see, I was rather surprised when you managed to activate your circuits so easily with such speed. I guess it was good that you stayed up past your bedtime to watch that movie. I might have to talk to Fujimura-san about the baby-sitting rules." Kiritsugu reflected, his tone also slightly teasing.

"Ah-uh-ah please forgive me!" Altria bowed again, entering a dogeza.

Kiritsugu once again let out a heavy sigh. This girl really did not act like her age. It was a stark contrast to the living fire-cracker that was Fujimura Taiga, the living firecracker who was a childlike teenager. She lived next door and frequently baby-sat Altria when Kiritsugu was out for more than a day at a time. But really, should a six year old really be doing this?

"Altria get up please. We're going to start on the next lesson," Kiritsugu said, hoping that changing the conversation will stop her from continuing such actions.

"Yes!" she said, sitting straight immediately after the words left his mouth.

"Today I will teach you how to sense prana. Everyone has a different way to understand external prana. Some are able to see, some are able to smell, so on and so forth. The trick here is to find which one of your senses you can most easily channel to use to sense mana. I'm going to flood my body with mana in a certain place. You move mana around different parts of your own body to see which sense manages to find it first," Kiritsugu instructed as he too activated his own circuits. His trigger was imagining a drop of water as it fell into a muddle and the subsequent ripples. Mundane it might be, but it suited him (he was a mundane person after all).

However he felt the curse of the Grail in him now. Instead of the steady stream of mana he was so used to, he could only feel a trickle. Even so, he put as much mana as he could into his right arm.

"Ah! You're right arm!" Saber called out quickly. Kiritsugu's concentration broke immediately. What? She got it already?

She might actually be a prodigy.

"That was rather quick. Let's try it again"

"You're neck!"

"Once more"

"You're ear!"

"…One more time"

"Um, you're left thumb?"

"…You've… got to be kidding me," Kiritsugu felt himself involuntarily whisper. He thought it would take her a day to master this at least. Not five seconds! It was almost as if she had learned magic before. It wouldn't be that surprising considering her circuits were very good. She could be descended from a magical family in the Fuyuki area. No, that wasn't possible. European magical families tended to stay in Europe to be near the Clocktower, the prestigious magical university. The chance that one would come here, during the Holy Grail War, wasn't a logical move. If Altria was any indication of how powerful the magical bloodline of the family was, they could have easily been selected as a Master during the Fourth Holy Grail War. It would have made more sense than that Waver kid who was Rider's master.

"Did I do something wrong Father?" Altria queried her voice full of apprehension.

Kiritsugu shook his head. There was no reason to be so hesitant about this. Altria being able to accomplish such feats would only expedite his timeline.

Illya needed to be freed as soon as possible.

"Not at all. Which sense did you use?" Kiritsugu pushed all the thoughts in his head aside.

Arturia cocked her head to the side, "I just 'felt' you push prana there Father."

Kiritsugu felt his brain stop. This girl was just one surprise after another. Should he really be this shaken?

"I see. Add this to your daily practice then. Try too…'feel' the mana around you. At least twenty minutes, along with your trigger practice and flow control," Kiritsugu ordered.

"Yes Father!" Altria said, bowing her head.

Kiritsugu felt himself relax as he unconsciously switched from "Teacher-mode" to "Father-mode."

"Now go and bathe Altria, we're going to have guests over in a little while."

"Yes Father," nodded Altria, "Who is going to come?"

Kiritsugu smiled as he placed an index finger to his lips, "It's a secret."

Altria huffed, her cheeks fluffing in indignation as she showed her displeasure in not being in on the undisclosed event and guests. Kiritsugu chuckled slightly as he reached out to pat the youngster on the head. As mature as Altria was, in the end she was just a child and had the temperament of one.

~.~.~.~.~

"Cover your eyes Altria."

Altria followed his words. She carefully placed her small hands over her charismatic emerald eyes. Staring at her for several seconds, he thought that her outfit was just fine for the situation. For the heat of summer she was wearing a blue sleeveless hoodie over a white shirt that matched with her white skirt. Her feet were covered with brown sandals that exposed her dainty toes. He also noticed a slit in-between her fingers, ever so small but one that allowed her to see what was going on.

He wasn't going to let this happen

Walking behind her he placed his own hands over hers, making sure to completely blind her.

"F-F-Father!" Altria exclaimed, her voice rebounding off the walls that surrounded the property.

"Just making sure you aren't cheating," Kiritsugu explained nonchalantly, "Now, walk slowly. Don't want you to trip now do we?"

Altria nodded, her small ahoge (_**Authors Note: an ahoge is the stray strand of hair that sticks out**_) bouncing in the air. Kiritsugu carefully moved forward guiding her through the hallways into the living room, where the chatter of people could be heard.

"Shhhh!" the sound of an old man of an old man could be heard as he attempted to silence the people around him

"She's here!" a younger voice whispered urgently.

Voices hushed all around Altria as the six year old entered the room.

"Open your eyes," Kiritsugu said slowly as he lowered his hands. Almost simultaneously Altria's hands did as well.

"Happy birthday!" multiple voices called out as she heard several loud popping sounds as streamers fell down from above her and landed on her head. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. Fujimura Taiga stood up, her face alight with glee as she help an open party popper in her hand. Her father sat next her and several other men sat around the table, all similarly holding party supplies and joyful faces (Altria ignored that they wore leather jackets with the same symbol on the back).

"Since you don't know you're birthday we decided that the day you were adopted," Kiritsugu explained, "But we didn't get this idea until yesterday."

Altria looked up at him, her eyes still wide with shock.

Kiritsugu smiled, "Happy Birthday Altria"

"Happy late Birthday Altria-chan!" Taiga chipped in, waving her arms in celebration.

"Happy Birthday kid," the elder Fujimura smirked.

"HOOOOH!" the gangsters yelled, raising their fists in celebration.

The next few moments were a blur for the young girl. She was pushed down next to Taiga as she was given a birthday meal (catered by the nearest restaurant). Everyone laughed, ate, and had a merry time. But what made Kiritsugu's day was Altria.

She had the largest smile on his face, one that he hadn't seen before.

She was surrounded by a surrogate family, but with bonds closer than that of blood family.

"Make a wish Altria-chan!" Taiga shouted as a cake was brought in. It was a plain vanilla cake with white icing emblazoned with six rainbow colored candles that were alight with a soft fire. Kiritsugu found himself asking a question before he could stop himself.

"Six? The doctor said that she could be seven," Kiritsugu stated.

"Kiritsugu-san!" Taiga exclaimed, mocking shock. "Women always have to be young! No matter what!"

Kiritsugu stepped down. His manly senses told him to disengage; he was entering territory his common sense wasn't applicable. It was a place in which he didn't understand the laws. But he could put that aside. Today they were celebrating Altria's birthday. They were rebuilding her life.

"Happy sixth birthday my dear daughter, " he said as he reached across the table to rub his daughter's blond head.

"Thank you…Father," Altria said, her voice humble.

On in that day, November eleventh, was the birthdate of Emiya Altria.

The former birth-date of Emiya Shirou.

~.~.~.~.~

_**Emiya Altria- Age 7 (SPRING)**_

"Father, you dropped this," a young voice called.

Kiritsugu stopped and turned around, seeing Altria holding out a bag of flour.

"Thank you Altria-chan."

He reached forward and took the bag and placed it in the red plastic basket that he held. Currently he and Altria were out shopping for ingredients at the supermarket. He was using this as a chance to show Altria the neighboring town of Shinto. They had come here quite often, leading the small child to learn the layout of the stores and know the way around the city.

It was going to be useful knowledge in the upcoming battle.

"Oh my, what a cute child!" a voice said, causing Kiritsugu and Altria both to turn around.

The speaker was a woman, wearing a green camisole over a white blouse with a dark green skirt. She was the average middle-class Japanese woman that came to shop in the modernized Shinto.

"Thank you very much!" Altria bowed, ever the respectful child.

"And so polite! Is she yours? She looks like a foreigner" the woman asked again, curiosity in her voice.

"Ah, yes she is. I adopted her after the Fuyuki incident," Kiritsugu explained.

This earned a look of shock from the woman, as the very name of the event was still remembered in the people around the area.

"Oh how wonderful, you must be such a nice person for bringing a child into your life like this."

_Nice person? He was the man who probably had more blood on his hands than anyone else. _

"It's nothing much, I just felt a need to help," he answered, smiling and adding the fluff. He wasn't entirely lying.

They paid for their items and left the supermarket. Kiritsugu felt Altria's hand naturally slide in his, as a child would with their parent. He could hear a small sigh of relief from the little one holding his hand. He couldn't help but think of Illya all alone in the castle, devoid of such comfort.

And how he would be unable to help her.

He could feel it in heart. His body was slowing down, as if stuck in amber. He was growing skinner and paler. His left eye developed a blind spot and he was always short of breath.

Death was calling him.

"How about we take a seat Altria?"

They had come to the Fuyuki Central Park. There were tall towering trees that bordered a flat expanse of green grass. After the Fuyuki Incident the government decided to not redevelop the area and instead turned it into a park. One that very little people came too. The air had staleness to it, as if the soot and death that was created never left, mixing in with the soil and contaminating it. It was as if even the normal citizens of the city felt the negativity in the air.

Altria nodded and sat down on a bench on the outside of the park. Kiritsugu sat beside her, he spied a hot cake cart (yes a hot cake cart). He motioned with his hands that he was going to get some. Altria happily nodded as she watched as her adoptive father slowly got up from the bench and walked to the cart.

Altria leaned back in her bench as she felt a nagging at the back of her young mind. Kiritsugu told her what happened here. That Kiritsugu wanted to stop the Holy Grail War by trying to destroy the Grail, but what he destroyed was only the physical container and not the actual contents. The contents were a black mud that caused the Fuyuki Fire that destroyed the town and took the lives of dozens.

But she did not blame Kiritusugu, she blamed the Grail. Something so evil shouldn't be allowed to exist.

When Kiritsugu heard this come from her lips he chuckled softly and only patted her head. He had said something about how little girls shouldn't be so strict. But he also could see the resoluteness in her eyes, she had found something that she anchored her mentality too. He wasn't sure what, but he knew that she had something.

He wasn't sure this was a good or bad yet.

Kiritsugu looked back and realized that Altria was no longer sitting on the bench.

"Altria?"

"Rather shameless act for this many boys to pick on one girl," a voice rang out.

A group of boys turned around as a newcomer interrupted their actions.

"Actions" being throwing stones at a small girl who sitting on the ground; her clothing dirtied and bruises marring the skin on her hands and exposed legs.

"Oh yeah?" one boy sneered.

"What are you going to do about it?!" another challenged.

As if on cue they all bent down and picked up more stones.

The girl they spoke too was a tiny blonde child.

It was Altria.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

She picked up a stick and ran at the boys. She didn't know why she was rushing head-first into this. Kiritsugu had always told her to think out her actions before doing anything. But she was furious. She couldn't stand the injustice before her. She wanted to stop them. She had to stop them.

She didn't even consciously know why she picked up a stick. It felt natural to her.

And so she proceeded to swing her make-shift weapon. She poked their stomachs, slapped their hands to make them drop their stones. She danced around them and just continued attack. She felt herself smile.

"Are you done?"

The aftermath of her improvised-blade ballet were groaning young boys clutching their hands and some sobbing in pain (Altria found herself thinking that it was rather disgraceful for boys to cry openly).

"Not yet!"

One of the boys found himself picking up a stone and threw it at the girl who was watching the transgression with wide eyes. Altria moved without hesitation. She jumped in front of the girl, shielding with her own body. The stone connected with her forehead, creating a small cut as blood ebbed down slowly. But even as the trail of red liquid threatened to enter her eye Altria did not falter. She held her arms out to side with defiance.

They would not harm this girl.

"Well, it would seem a bunch of brats made my daughter bleed," a voice rang out.

The boys all yelped and turned around as they saw an adult walk into the scene. For Altria she was filled with relief. Her father was holding two hot cakes in wax paper with a worried expression on his face, his clothing a bit offset, no doubt because he was hurrying along looking for her.

What the boys saw was something different. They saw a tall man with a severe face and cold eyes. His clothing was all black and he sounded angry.

Even scarier than that they actually hurt another kid in front an adult.

"Now I don't want to get your parents involved. So apologize and get out," spat Kiritsugu coldly. There was no room for argument with that tone.

"I'm sorry!" the boys all simultaneously bowed and ran off. Their small legs propelling them as they didn't even dare to turn back.

Altria felt herself breathe deeply as she relaxed.

"Ah!" she exclaimed as a thought occurred to her, "Are you alright?"

Altria turned around as she offered a hand to the young girl that was still on the ground. Hesitantly she reached out and let Altria pull her up.

"Umm, y-you're cut," she stuttered, looking nervously at her blonde haired counterpart. She finger her purple locks shyly but worriedly.

"I am fine. It is just a scratch," Altria splayed her fingers across her chest (the blood still trailing down her face), "Are you hurt?"

"W-why?" asked the purple haired girl.

"What?" Altria responded, confused.

"Why did you help me? You even got hurt because of it," the purple haired girl's tiny hands flittered as if unsure of what to do.

"Why?" Altria blinked, "Am I not supposed to help someone in trouble?"

"….!" The purple haired girl's eyes widened in amazement.

Kiritsugu took this opportunity to walk over to his daughter. He tapper her on the shoulder and bent down. Procuring a napkin he preceded to wipe the blood off slowly, using water from a bottle that he had bought along with the cakes. He dabbed the cut carefully, giving a small smile of comfort when Altria winced. As soon as he finished Altria looked back at the other girl.

"My name is Altria Emiya, what is yours?"

"S-sakura!"

Sakura yelped and covered her mouth at the sudden outburst.

Kiritsugu was going to smile at this heartwarming scene but he remembered that they were supposed to go home so that he could leave for a business trip.

"Are you going to need help going home Sakura-chan?" he asked.

The little girl jumped and looked at him sharply. Kiritsugu felt himself tense when he stared into her eyes. Those purple orbs were life-less, as if there was no soul behind them.

"N-no, my Nii-san should be here soon to get me," Sakura shook her head, "Ah, there he is."

Sakura spotted another child in the distance behind Kiritsugu. She started to walk off but stopped and turned towards Altria. She bowed at a steep right angle.

"Thank you very much"

Standing back up she quickly ran off, leaving a flushing Altria behind.

"I see you made a friend Altria-chan."

"It seems so Father," she said, sounding happy at the revelation.

Kiritsugu rubbed his daughter's head affectionately.

~.~.~.~.~

_**Altria Emiya Age 8 (WINTER)**__ Refer to image "Altria Emiya- Age 8- Winter"_

"Father! Look!" Altria squealed happily as she ran around the yard.

It was December in Fuyuki City, winter had moved in right after Altria's eighth birthday. It snowed early that year, with a good six inches of frozen water droplets hitting the small city. Taiga had apparently thought ahead and bough the child winter clothes, the ones that Altria was currently wearing as she attempted to make a snow man. She waded around in the snow in brown leather boots, a blue skirt underneath a thick grey jacket, and a similarly colored blue ribbon that tied her newly-styled braid into place.

"Be careful Altria-chan, not much I can do if you catch a cold!" Kiritsugu called from his place on the porch that overlooked the yard. He was sitting with a large woolen blanket wrapped around him and with a cup of hot tea in his hands.

The curse of the grail was catching up to him. He couldn't walk for too long. He was becoming frailer by the day and got sick easily. He still made it a point to watch his daughter play in her first snow fall.

His eyes softened as he watched the blonde little one run around trying to catch snowflakes onto her tongue.

The little girl was blossoming with life. She had a strong sense of justice and helping anyone in need. In school we would constantly get compliments about how mature his daughter was and the charisma she had at this young an age (at some point she actually became the unofficial leader of her third grade class). She would stop bullies with her words alone, and Kiritsugu felt a rush of pride whenever he heard these stories from other mothers.

He sort of wondered if this was what all parents felt at some point. His childhood…was different than others, so he couldn't really say. His adoptive mother wasn't the motherly type either. Then again, he did think fondly of her. Dear lord, how long as it been since he thought of her? It's been so long since he thought about his days as a youngster full of energy.

Kiritsugu widened his eyes as he caught his line of thought. Jeez, he was thinking like an old-geezer for Christ's sake…

Suddenly a gust of hot wind hit him in the face as he closed his eyes in surprise. He could year the air whistle past his ears as the wooden structures around him groaned at the sudden onslaught. And then, as soon as it came, it went away.

Slowly opening his eyes he saw a strange sight.

"Oh…" he heard Altria breathe softly.

Around his adorable daughter was a strange circle. Half of the circle had no snow. He could only see bright green grass that should have been buried underneath the snow. The other half clear, but solid; made out of ice.

What…just happened?

"Altria-chan…was that magic?"

"…yes Father…I attempted to make a bounded field like the one you recast on the house."

What in the world...

~.~.~.~.~

_The Golden Knight stirred._

_He heard footsteps approaching._

_He didn't open his eyes, sleep still clinging to them. But his brain was slowly becoming active. He could hear._

_And a familiar voice spoke out._

"_Oi, oi, oi!" the voice yelled, with more harried footsteps as the person sped towards the Golden Knight's throne, "What's the meaning of this?!"_

_Who was he? Why did he sound so familiar?_

_The Golden Knight stirred again, drowsiness slowly dispelling. His body and mind screamed at him; he wasn't supposed to awaken now. They clawed at his insides telling him to sleep. But curiosity drove him to open his eyes ever so slightly. _

_And he was first struck by the light that enveloped him._

"_Oh? It seems that my soon to be second-favorite Counter Guardian has returned," another voice spoke._

_The voice sounded like that of a woman. Not just any woman, but a succubus. Sounding so warm and lucid, as if it enveloped his entire person in some strange bind and dulling his mind. _

"_Che," the other voice responded, "I came back to see this."_

_He didn't sound very happy. Or maybe his voice was just naturally cynical. He had no idea. _

"_What's wrong? One of you became a Heroic Spirit, why is it not possible for another to come here?" _

_The seductive voice resonated again. _

"_No, there should be no way for this to happen. A modern day hero is next to impossible," the cynical man spat again as his steps came closer to the Golden Knight._

"_Who said it had to be a modern day hero?" _

_The womanly voice responded with a quip that sounded irresistible. _

_Suddenly the Golden Knight heard the other man stop in his tracks._

"_WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?!"_

_Fragmented words were spat out with so much fury that the Golden Knight felt himself awaken even further._

_The other voice laughed exquisitely, as if fairies hung in the air. _

"_Well, Counter Force is quite a thing," it giggled, "Toodles my Counter Guardian. I don't have use for you yet so take a good long nap. Humans are sure to start some sort of conflict for you to eliminate in one of the timelines."_

_The voice faded away slowly._

_And then there was silence._

"_That bitch…" whispered the remaining person._

_The Golden Knight finally gained enough awareness to raise his head slightly. He squinted through the vents in his helmet as his red feathered mane moved as well. _

_The man was tall, taller than him. Bright red coat over a silver and black under armor. It was a simple design, almost the opposite of the gaudy armor that the Golden Knight wore. The man seemed to notice the tiny movement as he turned his face towards the Golden Knight. He folded his arms and scowled, his shockingly white hair shaking at the action._

"_I don't know what's going on, but you were never here before. There's no possible way you could have come to the Throne of Heroes without a contract. And through Counter Force of all things."_

_The Golden Knight didn't answer, the light starting to blind him. _

"_I don't know what it wants. But if it involves saving humanity you're going to need this. Remember it well."_

_The man continued. His mouth opened again as his voice started reverberating off of invisible walls that were the blackness _

_**I am the bone of my sword.**_

_**Steel is my body and fire is my blood.**_

_**I have created over a thousand blades.**_

_**Unknown to Death, nor Known to Life.**_

_**Have withstood pain to create many weapons**_

_**Yet those hands will never hold anything**_

_**So I pray, Unlimited Blade Works**_

_The air hummed with premonition. The golden knight could feel resonant vibration in his chest, in his heart. _

_These weren't just normal words. _

_This aria wasn't just an aria._

_This was a poem of power. _

_Words that would enchant the world._

_That would replace reality with an imagined one._

_Words that could turn a jar of white marbles black should you be looking for a black marble._

"_Hush, EMIYA, our little dragon needs to sleep," the sensual voice returned._

"_Pfft, you're spoiling him," EMIYA said as he turned around and walked off, his boots making a rhythmic beat as it collided with the floor._

_The voice giggled as the Golden Knight felt a check rest against his helmet._

"_He's just jealous of you my little dragon king, hush now and sleep, you're time is to come," the voice said again. _

_The Golden Knight felt arms snake around his neck suggestively as they pulled his head back to a comfortable position for rest._

_And he slowly closed his eyes as he felt the light of Alaya wash over him. _

_This part of the Throne of Heroes was silent once more._

_And he slept, dreaming of a world of swords. _

_And her. _

~.~.~.~.~

_**Wooh finished another chapter! This one took a long time to write! I felt like I rushed some parts, but the ending is definitely my favorite part. It was a lot of fun trying to define Alaya in human form and using EMIYA to give our Golden Knight the words to Unlimited Blade Works. **_

_**I wonder who the Golden Knight is….hmm?**_

_**Anyway, lots of Altria-chan going around as I'm trying to get as much of her childhood into this chapter as possible. It might take two more to show her development as a mage and as a person. I still have yet to explain what the hell is going on in my universe but that will come with time.**_

_**Any questions? Comments? Concerns? Ideas? Please rate, follow, and review.**_

_**Be sure to check out artwork as well! They should be listed under my profile page. **_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

PS: Anyone willing to BETA this? I want a mean BETA, one that isn't afraid to throw punches at my work to improve it.


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